BME attainment

This report by the DCSF follows a longitudinal study into the attainment of Black & Minority Ethnic students throughout their secondary education.

Key points:
- The mean score at KS3 in English, maths and science for Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Black Caribbean and Black African groups were all substantially below the mean for White British pupils by the equivalent of over a whole year of progress
- At KS4, the mean score for Black Caribbean pupils is still significantly lower than White British. However, the mean score for Pakistani pupils is only just below the White British mean, and the mean scores for Bangladeshi and Black African pupils do not differ significantly from the mean for White British pupils
- At KS3, Indian pupils were only marginally ahead of White British, but at KS4 they are substantially ahead
- The poor attainment of pupils from low socio-economic status homes whatever their ethnic group, ought to be seen as an cause for concern
- The attainment of White British pupils was particularly vulnerable to low parental social class, mothers with no educational qualifications, relative poverty, living in single parent households, living in rented housing and living in deprived neighbourhoods
- In effect, White British are the most polarised ethnic group in terms of attainment: White British pupils from high SEC homes are one of the highest attaining ethnic groups, while White British pupils living in disadvantaged circumstances are the lowest attaining group
- After controlling for the range of socio-economic variables indicated above
the groups for whom low attainment is the greatest concern are:
a) White British boys and girls, and Black Caribbean boys, from low SEC homes. These
are the three lowest attaining groups;
b) Black Caribbean pupils, particularly but not exclusively boys, from middle and high
SEC homes, who underachieve relative to their White British peers
- The factors found to have the greatest impact on attainment were pupils educational aspirations, parents educational aspirations for their child and pupils academic self-concept. These are important factors through which the effect of social class is mediated.